Method and apparatus for treating yarn strands



Jan. 29, 1957 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING YARN STRANDS W. A. SISSON Filed Dec.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING YARN STRANDS Application December 1, 1954, Serial No. 472,404

9 Claims. (Cl. 203-200) This invention relates. to yarn treating apparatus and more particularly to a multiple drum yarn treating device of the thread advancing type.

In the manufacture of synthetic yarn filaments, it is frequently desirable to store a substantial quantityof yarn on the yarn storage drums. These drums may be either the ones used in a liquid treating procedure or they, may be drying drums. Also, it may be desirable to run multiple yarn ends simultaneously over the same set of drums. I have found that this advantage can be achieved very simply by providing a plurality of smaller canted rolls, all of which are associated with the same larger drum. These smaller rolls can be arranged so that the same yarn end may be successively advanced across the large drum and each of the smaller drums. Also, it is possible to reverse the point at which the yarn is taken oii the large drum simply by adding-another smaller drum. In the case of more than two extra rolls, it is entirely feasible to simultaneously treat or dry more than one yarn strand.

A primary object of the invention therefore is to provide in yarn treating apparatus a large driven drum and a plurality of smaller idler r-olls having their centers in alignment with the center of the large drum but with their axes canted in opposite directions with respect to the axis of the large drum.

A further object of theinvention is to provide a method for lacing yarn treating apparatus having more than two yarn treating rollers to form a plurality of sheds around the rollers.

- Further objects will be apparent from the specification and drawing in w ich:

Figure l is a front view showing a portion of a box type synthetic yarn spinning machine in which the inulti. drum apparatus of the present invention is incorporated;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic showing of the yarn path over a single large drum and two smaller rolls with the angularity of the smaller rolls greatly exaggerated in the interests of clarity;

Figure 3 is a schema-tic view showing a large storage drum and a single yarn strand successively wrapped around three smaller idler rolls; and

Figure 4 illustrates the apparatus of Figure 3 using a plurality of yarn strands or ends.

The invention comprises essentially the provisionof a relatively large diameter driven drum positioned on the yarn handling apparatus in the conventional manner. A smaller idler roll has its axis lying in a plane which passes through the axis of the large drum but the axis of theroll is not parallel to the axis of the drum. A second idler roll also with its axis in substantially the same plane has the axis thereof tilted or canted in the opposite direction. Additional idler rolls may be added depending upon the amount of yarn desired to be stored on the device or the point from which it is desired to take the strand oil the drum.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the

States Patent ice 2,779,457 Patented Jan. 29, 1957 conventional yarn spinning apparatus, as shown in Figure 1, comprises a coagulating bath 5 into which the synthetic filaments 6 are extruded through a jet or spinneret 7. The filaments pass over a stationary guide 8 and the conventional godet wheel 9. In the form shown in Figure 1, the yarn 6 is stretched between godet wheel 9 and the large treating drum 10. In between godet 9 and drum 10, a suitable liquid applicator such as a cascade 11 may be positioned as shown. The yarn is laced over a large drum 10, thence downwardly around the first idler roll 12 and then around drum 10 to form the inner shed S1. However, the yarn is then carried down around second idler roll 13 and returned to drum 10 to be spaced alternately between the turns of the inner shed S1, thus forming the outer shed 52. From thence the yarn passes to the second godet wheel 14 and the conventional spinning pct 15. A washing or liquid treating step is applied over the yarn on drum 10 and rolls 12 and 13 through header 16.

In the construction of a yarn storage drum assembly, it is necessary, of course, to bias or cant the axis of the idler roll wtih respect to the axis of the larger drum. This bias can be imparted in two ways or a combination thereof. If the axes or centerlines of the idler roll and the drum are in a single plane, the centerlines when viewed at right angles'to the common plane appear as two lines not parallel to each other. Under these circumstances the yarn laps always travel towards the ends of the drum and roll closest to each other. If, however, the axes of the drum and roll are canted. in parallel planes passing through their respective axes, the direction in which the yarn travels depends upon the direction of rotation of the drum. Obviously, it will be understood that the idler roll can be biased in both ways at the same time. The present invention, however, is concerned primarily with apparatus in which the axes of the drum and all of the idler rolls lie in a single common plane. Slight deviations are possible without affecting the operability of the device in order to avoid interference between the separate sheds but in general the advancing function of the apparatus is achieved by biasing the rollers in a common plane.

Referring now to Figure 2,. it will be seen that the yarn strand 6 isfed onto the drum 10 at A, thenceit travels down around the back of drum 10 and leaves the drum at point B substantially below the center thereof. From thence the yarn feeds around the back of roll 12 at C. Coming around the front of roll 12, the yarn disengages from this roll at D and thence is lead upwardly and around drum 10 at E. This'winding continues throughout the length of drum 10 and roll 12 to complete the shed S1 between these two elements and the turns on drum 10 of this shed are designated E, F, G, H, I and J. When the yarn turns on drum. 10 have reached the other end of the drum, the last turn I is brought down in back of drum 10 and. around the second roll 13 which it contacts at K. This same strand then comes up and around roll 13 and is wound up again around drum 10. From right to left, the first of such reverse laps is designated'L. The strand then winds around the backof drum 10 and down to 'roll '13 over which it: .is' wound at M. The outer shed S2 is formed by repeating the lastsdescribed winding so that the strand laps N, O, P, Q and R which form the outer shed alternate with the inner shed laps E, F, G, H and I. The last turn is then taken oif of drum 10 at T so that instead of having the yarn come off of the drum 10 at the end opposite to that which it started on the drum, it is now possible to have both strands entering and leaving at the same end of the drum.

It will be understood that more than two idler rolls can be used if desired. These may be used for various purposes such as to increase the storage capacity of the apparatus or to select from which end of the drum 10 the yarn strand or strands will be removed. Figure 3 show an arrangement in which there are three idler rolls 12, 13 and 20. The lacing of this device proceeds in the same general manner described previously in connection with Figure 2 except that when rolls "12 and 13 have been laced the yarn is brought down and around roll 20. The spacing of the yarn on drum 10 can be controlled by the amount of bias in the various idler rolls so that it is still possible to eliminate contact of the strands on the drum. Also, to prevent any possibility of the strands forming the variou sheds from contacting each other, it may be desirable to bias the idler rolls in a horizontal plane slightly. The relative diameters of the idler rolls are of necessity substantially smaller than that of drum lit to avoid interference between the sheds. However, the lowermost roll can be of somewhat larger diameter than the intermediate rolls 12 and Bit deemed expedient to obtain the proper clearance between the sheds.

Figure 4 shows how the apparatus can be utilized to simultaneously treat a plurality of strands. In this view strand 6:: is fed onto drum '10 at U and is laced around drums 12 and 13 in exactly the manner described in connection with Figure 2. In this arrangement therefore strand 6a leaves drum 1d at V since with two idler rolls the strand leaves drum 10 at the same end at which it enters. The second strand b is fed onto drum 16 at W and then is laced around the lowermost idler roll 20 so that it ultimately leaves drum at X. Usually it is desirable that the strands leave the drum at the same end.

Since there is a maximum number of laps that can be simultaneously wound on the large drum, the total number of strands in all the sheds is constant. It is possible, however, to increase the total yarn stored in the apparatus as compared to an apparatus using only a drum and the innermost idler roll. While it is preferred to position the idler rolls in alignment so that all of the sheds are contained within the outermost shed, such an arrangement is not absolutely essential because the idler rolls may be located in different radial directions if desired.

It will be noted that the roll 29' in Figure 4 is of substantially the same diameter as the other idler rolls 12 and 13, but it is biased in a manner to cause strand 6b to move from right to left as indicated by the arrows.

Biasing roll in the opposite direction would reverse the direction of travel of strand 6b. This feature is of especial importance in directing the strand or strands into the spinning pot 15 without the necessity for using intermediate guides or other devices it so desired. In this connection godet 14 may be eliminated entirely and the strand fed directly into the spinning pct 15.

It will thus be understood that I have described a method and apparatus for yarn treating drum which permits greater yarn storage capacity in a more limited space and which also enables a yarn strand to travel in opposite directions over the large drum at the same time so that the yarn may be fed onto and off of the large drum at the same end.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A yarn storage assembly comprising a relatively large diameter drum, a first relatively small diameter idler roll having its axis biased with respect to the axis of said drum, and a second relatively small diameter idler roll having its axis biased with respect to the drum and in a direction opposite to that of the first idler roll wheretil) by a yarn strand wound around the drum and each of the idler rolls forms yarn sheds in which the yarn strand moves in opposite directions so that the yarn is fed onto and is taken oti of the drum at the same end thereof.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the idler roll have their centerlines biased substantially in a single plane passing through the centerline of the drum.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 having at least three idler rolls, the outermost idler roll being of larger diameter than the intermediate idler rolls.

4. The method of lacing a yarn storage device which comprises winding laps of a yarn strand around a drum and an innermost biased idler roll to form an inner shed and then continuously winding the yarn strand around the drum and an outermost idler roll to form an outer yarn shed in which the yarn travels in a direction opposite to the inner shed.

5. The method of lacing a yarn storage device which comprises winding a yarn strand around a yarn storage drum and an innermost idler roll to form an inner yarn shed, winding the same yarn strand around the drum and an intermediate idler roll spaced at a greater radial distance from the drum than the inner idler roll to form a second yarn shed around the drum and said interme diate roll, and winding the same yarn strand around the drum and an outermost roll to form an outemiost shed between the drum and said outermost roll.

6. The method of lacing a yarn storage device which comprises the steps of winding a yarn strand around a driven drum and an innermost idler roll to form an inner yarn shed, continuing the winding of said strand around the drum and an intermediate idler roll at greater radial distance from the drum than the inner idler roll, removing said yarn strand from the drum at the end on which the strand was initially wound, and Winding a second yarn strand around the drum in alternate laps with the first strand and around an outermost idler roll.

7. A yarn storage assembly comprising a relatively large diameter drum, a relatively small diameter idler roll having its axis biased with respect to the axi of said drum, and means for receiving a yarn strand wound around the drum and said idler roll to form a plurality of yarn sheds in which the yarn strand moves in opposite directions so that the yarn is fed onto and is taken off of the drum at the same end thereof.

8. A yarn storage assembly comprising a relatively large diameter drum, a relatively small diameter idler roll having its axis biased with respect to the axis of said drum, and means including a relatively small diameter idler roll for receiving a yarn strand wound around the drum and said idler roll to form a plurality of yarn sheds in which the yarn strand moves in opposite directions so that the yarn is fed onto and is taken oif of the drum at the same end thereof.

9. Apparatus in accordance with claim 8 in which the last-named means is a relatively small diameter idler roll having its axis biased with respect to the drum and in a direction opposite to that of the first-named idler roll.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Mengeringhausen et al. Dec. 5, 1939 2,294,871 Sellner Sept. 1, 1942 2,611,923 Hume Sept. 30, 1952 

